Theatrical scenery.



PATENTED DEG. 15, l903.`

L. J. CARTER. THEATRICAL SGENERY.

APPLIOATION FILED JmL-13. 190s.

TN; Naam: PETERS co. maremma.. wnsummcn, n. c

H0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented becember 15, 1903.

LINCOLN J. CARTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TH EATRICAL SCENERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 747,045, dated December15, l`903.

l Application iiled January 13, 1903. Serial No. 138,846. iNo model.)

To a/ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LINCOLN J. CARTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illii nois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Theatrical Scenery,ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of theatrical appliances intendedto present certain stage eectssuoh, for instance, as the burning of aforest, prairie, or the like, in the midst of which is seen a humanbeing, house, wagon, or similar object-all of which will more fullyhereinafter appear.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple,economical, and efficient apparatus for producing a fire effect on thestage of the theater; and the invention consists in the features,combinations, and de-` tails of arrangement hereinafter described andclaimed.

' casting the glow or iire effect on the appa` ratus.

In the art towhich this invention relatesv it is well known manyattempts have been made to present re eects on the stage either byemploying actual devices, such as Greek re and the like, or otherdevices by which crude results have been obtained. It is Well known,however, that it has long been desirable to provide some method by whichall the realistic eects of an actual fire can be obtained without any ofthe dangerous and objectionable features attendant on the use of Greekre and similar devices. The principal object of this invention,therefore, is to provide an appliance, mechanism, or apparatuswhich willproduce theeifect of blazing lire on the stage, in the midst of which isseen some objectsuch as a house, horse, or human being-all of which willmore fully hereinafter appear. Y

In' constructing my improvements and using them in connection with atheater, a represents the stage, in the background of which is arrangeda sheet or sheets of opaque cured to the upper edge and provided withcords e passing up into the flies. It is very desirable that this sheetof material should be given a Waving effect, so that as the light orglow hereinafter described is cast thereon it will have the effect offlames forming and vanishing in operation. To obtain this waving eect,many means may be employed; but I preferto use manual laborsuch, forinstance, as a boy or man, who will beat the sheet of flexible materialwith a light bamboo rod. While this manual means is, as above stated,the form which I prefer to use, other means may also be employed-such,for instance, as described in connection with my Patent No. 662,708, ofNovember 27, 1900, in which a series or plurality of electric fansarranged underneath the sheet of lieXible material is used; but I preferthe manual means, as a better effect is thereby obtained-one that morenearly approaches realistic flame effects. It is also desirable thatsome means be employed for casting a light or glow upon the waving clothand on its front surface, sothat the sheet of cloth has alternate orsuccessive portions waving into and out of the rays of light. To accomplish this result, I provide a boX portion f, which is arranged directlyin front of the sheet of waving clot-h. In this box or the chamberformed thereby is arranged a plurality of incandescent electric lightsg. The upper part of the box is provided with a cover h, having aplurality of openingsz' therein, across which is arranged a piece ofcolored glass of the de- IOO ' tween the walls of fire.

f may be arranged a piece of scenery m rep# resenting grasses of aprairie or forest.

the midst of the lfire.- If an ordinary sheet of cloth were used, whichwould naturally be opaque, the desired object would appear in front ofthe tire; but it is 'desirable that it should appear so as to obtain thenatural effects in the midst of the re. To accomplish this, I provide asecond sheet of flexible material lo, formed of a transparentsubstance,so that as the light is cast thereon the wellknown law of theinterference of the rays of light will render such portions of thetransf parent sheet practically opaque; but when the rays of light areremoved therefrom, as hereinafter described, or from portions thereof,such portions of the entire sheet willappear transparent and the lireeects in the rear of the same may beviewed as if vthere were nointervening sheet or screen. This second or front transparent sheet ofmaterial is given a waving motion in exactly the same manner asdescribed in connection with sheet b and is also provided with a box fat its lower end, in which the light-producing means is held.Intermediate these two screens, on that portionZ which is between thesheet portions b and k, such objects as desired may be placed. Forinstance, a man may be placed herein to rescue another human being fromthe midst of a burning forest or prairie, or a locomotive or otheranimate object may be seen passing over a burning prairie and be-Outside of the boxes In order to further the completeness of therealistic fire eect, I prefer to make one or both of the boxes f asshown particularly in Fig. 3 and to provide it at each end with a drumn, one' of which drums is provided with a crank-handle 10. Passed aroundthese drums is a flexible belt q, having a plurality of openings 1, eachof which may be provided with a piece of transparent flexible material,such as mica and the like, so that as they come opposite the electriclights or over the same they will casta glow on the waving sheets offlexible material and in such a manner as to make it appear as if therewere a waving of the same in a lateral direction. In other words, therays of light will be cast therethrough at an angle at first, thenperpendicularly, and lastly through an opposite angle, giving the eiectof intermittent tongues of flame passing upwardly and` vanishing in-alateral direction as well, all of which tends to produce a highlydesirable and realistic eect.

I claimthe combination of a rear sheet of flexible wavable material, afront transparent sheet space between it and the rear sheet, and meansfor `casting a glow or glows thereon so as to produce a iire effect,substantially as described.

2. In mechanisms of the class described, the combination of a rearopaque sheet of fiexible wavable material stretched across -the stageand having its lower end secured thereto, a frontv transparent sheet offlexible wavable material having its lower edge secured to the stagestretched across the same and providing a space between it and therearsheet, and means for casting a light or glow thereon so as toproduce during the waving of the sheets a vanishing effect of tongues ofdame, substantially as described.

3. In mechanisms of the class described, the combination of a rearsubstantially opaque sheet of flexible material arranged to be waved, afront sheet of transparent ilexible material arranged to be waved, meansfor casting a glow or light on the rear sheet, and means for castingrays of light ora glow on the front transparent sheet in an intermittentmanner, substantially as described.

4:. In mechanisms of the class described, the combination of a wavingsheet or sheets of flexible material, lights for casting a glow or glowson such waving sheet or sheets, and a movable piece provided with aplurality of openings interrupting the rays of light as they are cast onthe waving sheets and producing an intermittent flame effect,substantially as described. v

5. In mechanisms of the class described, the combination of a rear sheetof substantially opaque material secured to the stage and held at itsupper portion and adapted to be` waved, a front transparent sheet offlexible materialsecured to the stage at its lower portion and held in avertical manner at its upper end adapted to be waved, a plurality oflights for casting rays of light upon the rear waving sheet of exiblematerial, a plurality of lights arranged to cast a glow or rays of lightupon the front sheet of waving flexible material, and an endless beltprovided with a plurality of openings for interrupting the rays of lighton-the front sheet and producing an intermittent llame eect thereon,substantially as described.

LINCOLN J. CARTER.

l. In mechanisms of the class described,

ANNIE C. COURTENAY.

of ilexible wavable material providing a IOO IIO

